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Shloka 32

Lord Śiva Bewildered by Mohinī

Viṣṇu’s Yoga-māyā and the Limits of Ascetic Power

तस्यानुधावतो रेतश्चस्कन्दामोघरेतस: । शुष्मिणो यूथपस्येव वासितामनुधावत: ॥ ३२ ॥

tasyānudhāvato retaś caskandāmogha-retasaḥ śuṣmiṇo yūthapasyeva vāsitām anudhāvataḥ

Wie ein rasender Elefantenbulle einer fruchtbaren Elefantenkuh nachsetzt, so jagte der mächtige Śiva der schönen Frau nach, und sein Samen —der nie vergeblich ist— ergoss sich.

तस्यof him
तस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
अनुधावतःwhile he was running after (her)
अनुधावतः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootअनु-धाव् (धातु) → अनुधावत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण (तस्य)
रेतःsemen
रेतः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootरेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
चस्कन्दspurted/fell
चस्कन्द:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootस्कन्द् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
अमोघ-रेतसःof him whose seed is unfailing
अमोघ-रेतसः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootअमोघ (प्रातिपदिक) + रेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formबहुव्रीहि-समास (‘अमोघं रेतो यस्य’), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण (तस्य)
शुष्मिणःof the vigorous one
शुष्मिणः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootशुष्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण
यूथपस्यof the herd-leader
यूथपस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootयूथप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
इवlike
इव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपमानवाचक
वासिताम्the scented/attractive (female)
वासिताम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवासिता (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (कर्म)
अनुधावतःwhile running after
अनुधावतः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootअनु-धाव् (धातु) → अनुधावत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण (यूथपस्य)
Ś
Śiva
M
Mohinī-mūrti (Viṣṇu)
V
Viṣṇu

FAQs

In Canto 8, Chapter 12, Śukadeva describes how Śiva, seeing Viṣṇu’s Mohinī form, became momentarily overpowered by desire and ran after Her, illustrating the extraordinary power of the Lord’s māyā and līlā.

The narration emphasizes that even the greatest beings can be bewildered by the Lord’s illusory potency when the Supreme enacts His līlā, thereby establishing Viṣṇu’s supremacy and teaching vigilance against lust.

It teaches humility and caution: one should not presume immunity to temptation, but instead strengthen sādhana—regulated life, prayer, good association, and remembrance of the Lord—to keep the mind steady.